Forage-curing device.



J. FRANKLIN.

FORAGE CURING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26. 1914.

1,148,894. Patented Aug. 3, 1915;

l L l Gite-cues;

COLUMBIA PLANOOIAIH CO 'IASHlNOTON, D. C.

Pyriton,,in the county of Glay,StateofAlazrosnua 1 3mm s meanate- Toa l l wh omritmag concern. I 1

.B'jit lmownthatllgdosiaua FRANEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at forage plants. f

The principalobject of the invention'is to provide a 1 novelconstruction of device in which the forage plants "can be stored under shelter, and receivethe proper circulation of air to all parts of the mass.-

' Other objects and advantages will be apparent from thefollowing description, when taken in j connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device; Fig! 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view th'erethrough; Fig.1 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view therethrough." i a In the southern partof the United States,

the best and most available plants for use in feeding stock during the winter months are peas and soy beans, and some other plants which have thick sappy stems or thick pods. These stems and pods are very hard to dry 1 and unless they be fully cured before storing in bulk, they render the whole mass soggy or moldy or heated, and thereby damaged or even unfit for stock food. If they are eX- posed to the weather in the usual way of curing hay, even in fine weather long enough to dry the stems and pods, the leaves will dry too much, and crumble or break off the stems and thus be lost. In rainy weather, these plantsare often rendered value'less for feeding purposes. a

In the northern partsof the United States lying eastward from Colorado, and also in the State of Washington, westward from the Cascade Mountains, there isda-nger of rainy weather at hay harvest time, and consequent risk of damage to mown fodder plantsbefore they are cured sufficiently to store in bulk. Plants with thick stems require at least a week to cure in the South. In the North the grasses, clover and alfalfa need Spe iiifi catioii of Letters Pate ntr heating or molding. feasible means of curing plants like cow pea-s without injury'to or total loss of leaves, which are the most valuable part. of such or, amen, nnABAMA.

lPatentedAug. 3, i915.

Application filed January 26,1914, serial No. 814,454.

about two or threedays to dry, and on the vise ameans and a process for curing forthe weather by a roof. In this way, they are thereby cured slowly but thoroughly without riskof rain, dew, sun or sweatingand In: fact it is the only plantsz' By; the simple, and inexpensive 'means provided by thisinventiom'the mass of forage plants under shelter in bulk', is held apart at all'points sufficiently topermit the airto flow and circulate through it.

T Were these plants storedin bulk, without this device, they would consolidate into a compact air excluding mass and be ruined .by heatmgnor 'molding.I

Specifically speaking and referringpar- 'ti'cularly to'thedrawing, myinvention consists in driving two or more parallel rows of suitable posts 10 and 11 of convenient height and securing longitudinally to the inner faces of the posts a plurality of parallel suitably spaced slats 12 and 13. A number of poles or equivalent devices 14 are inserted between the lowermost slats and extend ed from one set of slats to the set on the opposite posts, these poles being spaced the desired distances apart. On these'poles are heapedand then spread the forage plants 15 to be cured. Should the forage be very green, the layer will be spread more or less thinly, but if the forage has become partially dry, they may be packed more thickly on the poles. After one layer has been properly spread on the poles, a second set of poles are, disposed between the next slats above, in a manner similar to the ones just described, and at'a distance above the first poles according to the depth of the first layer of vines. A second layer of forage plants is laid on the second set of poles and so on to the tops of the posts. A suitable roof 16 is mounted on the tops of the posts to protect the material from the direct rays of the sun and from rain. Thepoles are *Paciiic slope of the State'of Washington a much longer time is required owing to the humidity of the atmosphere. I

1 It is theobject of this invention to deage plantswith all the good qualities of the original plants unimpaired and it provides a means whereby plenty of air is permitted to circulate through all parts-of the mass of stored: forage plan-ts while protected from spaces between the and the top of the After several days settle so that the air pass between the poles said next lower layer. the forage plants will a thorough circulation of air over and un- ,der each layer'of forage also through these layers because they lie loosely and openly as they receive no pressure from aboveto pack them, with the result that the forage cures slowly, evenly and thoroughly, with ment of the original plants intact.

Referring particularly to the drawing, and 11* represent respectively the posts of two series which are arranged in parallel relation. Securedto these posts, in the manner hereinbefore described, are the slats or strips. 12 and 13." The transverse poles which extend from one series of slatsto the other are indicatedat 14C, and on thesepoles are placed the layers 15 of plants. Secured on the upper ends'ofthe posts 10 and 11 is the roof or cover 16. I

From the foregoing, it will readily be seen that I have provided a simple and inexpensive device of great benefit to stock raisers and farmers by means of which the plants used for iforage can bev effectively cured inv good order almost regardless of weather with all the good qualities ofthe original plants unimpaired. 1

. Copies of-this patent may he obtainedfor spaced suflicient distances above the" next lower layer of forage plants to perm t air to vines and the poles above will be increasedthus providing for the green color, goodtaste and thefnutri- As the forage plants become cured and the layers settled, the air spaces between the layers will. be greatly increased. The farmer can increase the bulk of material by remov ing some of the cured layers will drop into a single mass. The poles can then be placed in above this mass and more forage plants placed thereon.

This operationcan be repeated until the mass of forage plants reaches up to the; roof.

It willpof course, be understood that the number of posts in the rows can be increased, or more rows of posts can be pro- .vided so asto increase the size of the barrack and accommodate theforage plants. I Curing forage plants by this method saves", considerable labor and expense by obviating the {necessity for tedding and shocking. a

What is claimed is I In aqdevice for curing forage, thecombination with a frame consisting of a pair of spaced sides including vertical posts and horizontal slats connecting the same and arthe poles at thevbottom so that,

ranged in spaced relation, of superposed spaced open floors extending from one; side of the frame to the other and including a plurality of spaced poles removably mount ed'on' the said slats.

In: testimony whereof, I aflix mysignature, in the presence of two witnesses.

"JOSHUA FRANKLIN. I

m Witnesses:

-- CLEVELAND W. ALLEN,

JOHN T. TREADWELL,

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. I 

